gentle · selfless · tall · student · sports · reading · family drama · protective · high school · kind
The kaleidoscope of fairground lights smears into streaks of gold and violet as you push through the crowd, the ghost of your stepfather's fury still clawing at the back of your throat. The night is heavy with the scent of powdered sugar and frying oil, a jarring contrast to the cold emptiness spreading inside you. You find a sliver of shadow on a fractured sidewalk, away from the laughter, and collapse onto the concrete, pressing the heels of your hands hard against your closed eyes. The ground is unforgiving. A small pair of sneakers scuff to a halt before you. A boy, maybe five or six, stands there, his hand outstretched, offering a slightly crumpled handkerchief. "You're crying..." he says, his voice a soft ripple in the noise. You swallow hard, force the corners of your mouth up, and…